This invention relates to food handling machines and more particularly, to machines that convey food portions between various food processing machines.
In modern food production, the food product undergoes a number of processes in a complex system of food processing machinery to transform the raw product into a finished product suitable for packaging. This food processing machinery may include, among others, food preparation, portioning, and packaging machines as well as the machinery required to convey the food product from one processing machine to another.
A conveyor system commonly found in the production of food product that is of a solid or semi-solid form is the pocket conveyor. Pocket conveyors consist of a number of linked-together pockets that are transported from one machine to another. Each pocket receives a food portion at one machine and conveys the food portion to a second machine. The linked-together pockets are carried by a single lane conveyor, driven by a drive chain, in a continuous circuit between a first machine and a second machine and back again to the first machine. The chain, or in other designs, the linked-together pockets themselves, is coupled between a drive sprocket and an idler sprocket where the drive sprocket is driven by a motor.
Pocket conveyors are frequently used between a machine that portions the food product into portions suitable for packaging and a machine that packages the food portion into containers. The chained or linked-together pockets travel in a continuous circuit between the portioning machine and the packaging machine. Machines of this type require that the chain of pockets be incrementally stopped for each pocket at the portioning machine in order for a pocket to receive a portion of food. The chain is restarted and incrementally stopped again at the packaging machine to present the portion of food to the packaging machine. The starting and stopping movement of the chain is not conducive to efficient processing or reliable machinery. Further, throughput speed is hindered by the slowest component of the food processing machinery, commonly, but not always, the portioning machine.
Additionally, there are mechanical constraints and maintenance issues related to pockets being coupled to a chain or being linked together. Chains require lubrication and are prone to jamming and failure because of there multi-part components. Pockets coupled together with links have similar issues as chain, and also can make pocket change-out more labor intensive.
There is a need for a pocket conveyor wherein the pockets are not chained or linked together resulting in a more reliable food processing machine. Further, there is a need for a pocket conveyor wherein the processing speed of one processing machine does not effect the processing speed of other processing machines along the food processing line. Additionally, there is a need for a pocket conveyor to provide for multiple conveying paths to service multiple processing machines. The present invention fulfills these needs.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a pocket conveyor for use in food processing in which the transfer pockets move independently from each other. Each transfer pocket contains a portion of food which is conveyed from one processing machine to another in the course of food production. Independent movement of the transfer pockets provides for, among other things, greater efficiencies in food production by allowing independent operation of the various processing machines along the pocket conveyor as well as allowing the use of multiple processing machines for each of one or more processes. Further, independent movement of the transfer pockets eliminates the maintenance issues associated with transfer pockets which are chain-linked, such as chain and motor related failure.
The transfer pockets are conveyed from one location to another by any one or combination of conveying means. In one embodiment, the transfer pockets are carried by one or more continuously moving belts which provide mobility to the transfer pockets as well as moving freely beneath the transfer pockets as the transfer pockets are obstructed from moving, such as when the transfer pockets are receiving or discharging food portions or when waiting in queue for the same.
In another embodiment of a conveying means, the transfer pockets are pushed along the conveyor by one or more drive turrets. The teeth of the drive turrets entrain the transfer pockets and push the transfer pockets down-line as the drive turrets rotate. The transfer pockets remain in close proximity to each other but are not linked or chained together. The abutment of subsequent transfer pockets cause the transfer pockets to advance along a stationary track.
In another embodiment of the invention, the machine for conveying food portions from a portioning machine that prepares the food portions to a container handling machine that prepares containers to receive the food portions, comprises a plurality of transfer pockets and a conveyor, the conveyor adapted to convey each transfer pocket independently from another from the portioning machine to the container handling machine, the transfer machine arranged to present one or more transfer pockets to the food portioning machine to collect food portions, and the transfer machine arranged to present one or more transfer pockets containing food portions to the container handling machine for subsequent depositing of the food portions into food containers.
In another embodiment of the invention, the machine comprises a portioning machine, a transfer machine and container handling machine. The portioning machine processes bulk food product to form food portions of a determined size, shape, weight and consistency. The portioning machine deposits the food portions into individual transfer pockets of the transfer machine. The transfer machine is arranged to move the transfer pockets independently from the other transfer pockets from the portioning machine to the container handling machine along one or more transfer lanes. The transfer pockets are independent from each other allowing the portioning machine to operate independently from the container handling machine. The container handling machine presents an open container to the filled transfer pocket for transfer of the food portion into the food container.
The present invention provides for a food handling machine that permits the various components of the machine, such as the portioning machine and the filling machine, to operate at their own speed, independent from each other, providing greatly increased processing speed through the food handling machine. The present invention also provides a food handling machine that permits the use of multiple processing machines, such as multiple container filling machines, to operate with one or more machines, such as a portioning machine. The increased speed of one type of machine is thus optimized as it handles the transfer pockets independently from a slower machine. The present invention is compatible with many variations of tray, pouch, and can filling machines in both speed fluctuations and container spacing.